Single-trigger mechanism for firearms.



v Patented May 2|,- l90l.

F. E JAEGEB. SINGLE TRIGGER MECHANISM FOR FIREARMS.

(Application filed Oct. 25, 1900,)

(No Model.)

Fries.

FRANZ E. JAEGER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

SINGLE-TRIGGER MECHANISM FOR FIREARMS.

FaPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 674,843, dated May 21, 190].

Application filed October 25,1900. Serial No. 34,291. (No model.)

To all whom 212? may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANZ E. JAEGER, a subject of the Emperor of Germany, residing at the city of New York, borough of Manhattan, county and State of New York, have invented cerIain new and useful Improvements in Trigger Mechanisms for Multibarrel Firearms,of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to improve the construction and operation of firearms of the class wherein two or more barrels are discharged by the use of a single trigger.

One branch of my invention relates to means for preventing the recoil of the gun following the discharge of either one of the barrels from simultaneously and inadvertantly discharging the other barrel by the action of the recoil. Y

The other part of my invention relates to a single-trigger mechanism for double-barrel guns; and it consists, briefly, in means whereby the trigger action may be translated so as to operate both sears alternately either from left to right or right to left or right continuously without involving the left or left continuously without involving the right.

My invention therefore resides in the novel construction and combination of parts hereinafter described, and further pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings forming part of this specification, Figure 1 is a perspective elevation of the rear end of the gun provided with my improvements, the trigger-plate being broken away and shown in dotted lines. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same, showing in dotted lines the different positions of parts during certain stages of the operation. Figs. 3, 4, and 5 are respectively enlarged perspective views of the ends of the left and right scars and the right-hand-sear spring. Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the trigger. Fig. 7 is a side elevation of the same, partly in section, disclosing the translator and its stop. Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the recoil-check. Fig. 9 is a perspective view, enlarged, of the translating-stud. Fig. 10 is a sectional elevation substantially on the line a a, Fig. 6, showing the translating-stud thrown over to operate the right sear.

Similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views.

In order that the application of the recoilcheck to multibarrel guns having one or more triggers and the specific application of the same to the trigger and sear mechanism hereinafter described shall be thoroughly understood, I shall first describe the latter, cross reference being had to an application for patent filed by me on the 22d day of June, 1900, Serial No. 21,193, wherein substantially the same sear mechanism is shown, described, and claimed.

In the application of my improvements to multibarrel guns, I do not limit myself to a gun of any particular construction, especially in regard to the check, which may be employed, as before stated, in guns having several as well as a single trigger, the only essential to the latter being that there shall be a plurality of barrels, making necessary several independent hammer and sear mechanisms and mechanism directly or indirectly connecting the sears.

In respect to the check the specific mechanism by means of which I have embodied my invention comprises specifically the following parts:

At 1 is the frame of the gun, of ordinary construction, having the usual top lever 2, communicating,throughinternal mechanism, with the usual locking-bolt3, having a rearwardly-extending arm 1, the end 5 of which curves slightly to the right hand and which is slightly rounded at the extreme end 6.

At 7 8, respectively, are the right and left hand sears, having rearwardly-extending arms 9 10, ending in inwardly-extending fingers 11 12, the left-hand sear having an inwardly-extending shouldered lug 13, and the right-hand sear has a groove 14 formed in its extreme end.

Within the recess 15 of the arm 10 of the right-hand sear is secured a flat spring-plate 16, having at its free end 17 an enlargement or shoulder 18, and from the inside of said free end extends a squared stud 19, adapted to have transverse play in the groove 14.- on the end of the right-sear arm.

At 20 is the trigger, hinged at its forward end or nose 21 by means of a pin 22 to the lugs 23, rising from the trigger-plate 24c near the breech, as shown in Fig. 2, the triggerplate having a slot 25, in which the trigger is adapted to operate.

At 26 is the trigger-spring, consisting of a flat bar about the width of the trigger and secured upon the trigger-plate, the free end 27 of the spring extending rearwardly beyond the nose 21 of the trigger and within a recess in its front end.

At 28 is the check, comprising, specifically, a lever 29, having a weighted end 30, a forward nose or projection 31, a recess 32, and a pin 33, extending transversely and secured to the extreme front portion of the nose 31, the nose being providedwith an aperture 34 closely adjacent its front end to permit of its being pivoted by the pin 35 to a lug 36, extending upwardly from the trigger-plate 24.

It will be noted that the check constitutes a lever of the first order, with the weight on one end and the power applied close to the fulcrum.

The rear end of the trigger is provided with an upwardly-extending lug or gooseneck 37, having a rearward extension 38, slotted at 39 to receive the transversely-extending pin 33,

. as shown in Fig. 1.

As thus constituted, the mechanism comprises a plurality of barre1s,hammer-operating sears, a single trigger, and means for shifting the parts, as will be hereinafter described, so that they will operate from right to left, or viceversa, an operating-trigger, and means for checking or preventing the inadvertent discharge of either barrel either simultaneously or one immediately following a discharge of the other.

The recoil of a gun operates to inadvertently discharge either barrel substantially in the following manner: At the instant of discharge a rearward impulse is given to the gun, moving the finger-pull 40 of the trigger rearwardly away from the finger of the operator and with great rapidity. Then a forward impulse of the gun is generated, bringingthe trigger or both triggers, if connecting means are employed, against the finger of the operator, which remains tense, due to the initial pull of the discharge, which latter impulse of the gun is strong enough and quick enough to move the triggers even against the will of the operator and discharge the other barrel. My check is so designed that when the trigger is pulled to discharge the gun the weighted end of the check is brought below its pivoted point and the recoil of the gun will tend to keep the weighted end of the check from rising, thus preventing the trigger from assuming its lower position, which is necessary to place the parts in position for firing the other barrel, and as the gun moves forward on counter-recoil the weighted end will be thrown rearwardly and will not tend to rise until the movement of the gun has ceased, thus preventing the trigger from assuming the position for firing the other barrel until the gun has come to a state of rest.

In all guns wherein double barrels and a plurality of scars and either a single or double trigger mechanism are employed it is essential that the primarily-operated trigger, which brings about the first or initial discharge, should return to its lowermost position in order that the sear for the other barrel can be operated to discharge the other barrel. In the embodiment of my invention this necessity is also present, and, for example, starting initially with the lefthand sear, as illustrated in Fig. 2, the operation of the sear to discharge the gun necessitates the elevation of the free end of the trigger, throwing down the recoil-check until the parts assu me the lowest. position, (indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 2,) when the weighted end of the check will be below its pivotal point 35. The means for connecting the trigger with the sears will be described later on. In this position the left-hand barrel has been discharged. Instautaneously with the attainment of the trigger of its highest point of elevation (the check being in its lowest position) the rearward impulse or recoil of the gun has occurred, leaving the finger of the operator out of contact with the trigger-pull, this rearward movement of the gun tending to keep the trigger-check down and preventing the trigger from assuming its lowest position. The sear-spring (not shown,

but embodied in gun constructions of this class) tends to force down the trigger and at the same time tends to raise the recoilcheck. The weight and leverage of the same, however, resist this action sufficiently during the rearward impulse or recoil of the gun, so that the recoil will be completed before the sear-spring has had an opportunity of moving the trigger downwardly and elevating the other end of the recoil-check, which during its intermediate period can be said to wabble or vibrate, until the recoil has been completed and the gun is freed from the impulses due to the discharge. In other words, the recoil-check prevents the trigger which was last operated from assuming such a position which is necessary for the operation of the other trigger, where both sears are connected to the shifting mechanism, or the other sear, it but one is employed, and which is essential for the operation of the other trigger. Asimple method of illustrating the operation of the recoil-check would be to assume that there would be but a single barrel and that the gun had means for presenting successively and automatically fresh cartridges to the hammer after each discharge. In such a case my recoil-check would operate to prevent the trigger from assuming its lowermost position, which would be necessary for a recocking of the gun, until after the rearward and forward impulses of the gun were over.

til the stud 19 passes over the lug 13.

I will now describe the means for operatively connecting the trigger and the sears and also the translating mechanism before referred to. Before doing so I shall briefly describe the shifting operation of the parts.

As illustrated in Fig. l, the right-hand sear isin position to be fired. Means hereinafter to be described extend between the righthand sear and the trigger, the sear-spring keeping the sear in contact with such means. Both sears are in the cocked position. When in the cocked position, both sears are at the same elevation in a slightly-raised position, and the stud 19 of the right-hand sear 1O rests lightly against the lug 13 of the left-hand sear 9, the projection 46 from the trigger being below the sear to be operated first. If the right-hand barrel is to be fired first, then the projection 46 will be below the right-hand scar, and when the trigger is pulled the said projection will raise the sear far enough to release the hammer, but not far enough to allow the stud 19 to pass above the lug 13. After the discharge, when the trigger again takes its lower position, the right-hand sear will be depressed by the sear-spring until the stud 19 passes beneath the lug 13 of the left-hand sear. Another pull upon the trigger will now lift the right-hand sear, thus discharging the left-hand barrel. If it is desired to fire the left-hand barrel first, the projection 46 upon the trigger is moved (by means hereinafter described) under the left-hand sear, and when the trigger is pulled the left-hand sear is raised far enough to release the hammer, but not far enough to bring the lug 13 above the stud 19 on the right-hand sear. After the discharge of the left-hand barrel the left-hand sear will be depressed by its sear-spring un- Another pull upon the trigger will then raise the left-hand sear, and with it the right-hand sear, thus firing the right-hand barrel. The recocking of the gun is preceded by turning the top lever 2, which throws the locking-bolt 3 rearwardly and projects the point 6 of the projection 4 against the upwardly-extending lug 41 of the spring 16, freeing the stud 19 from contact with the lug 13 of the left-hand sear, allowing the rear end of the left-hand sear to vibrate downwardly into the same plane as the right-hand sear, with the end of the stud 19 abutting against the end of the lug '13, as shown in Fig. 1.

The foregoing is substantially the mechanism and mode of operation of the parts described and claimed in the application before referred to. In that application, however, a plurality of triggers are employed, making it necessary to use the right trigger if the discharge is to be from right to left, or the left trigger if the discharge is to be from left to right. \Vith my translating device I am able to dispense with the employment of two triggers and to use the translating device for the purpose of translating the discharge either from right to left or left to right by adjusting the translator and the employment of but one trigger. In the specific embodiment of my invention in this respect the translator comprises a short plug 42, having enlarged heads or ends 43, the plug being rounded and located in a transversely-disposed rounded groove 44, formed at the bottom of a further groove 45, passing down from the upper portion of the trigger, and extending upwardly from the plug is a stud or finger 46, adapted to be moved transversely of the orig ger and in it by pressing either of the heads of the plug, so as to cause the stud to pass into.

alinement with the end of either of the sears, as shown in Fig. 2, where the plug has been forced over to bring the'stud into alinement with the left-hand sear, the stud forming the connection between the trigger and the sear, the sear-spring (not shown and by means of which the sears in all guns of this class are moved downwardly at its rear end) keeping the sear end in contact with said stud.

In order to prevent the inadvertent transverse movement of the plug before shifting the stud from one sear to another, Iem ploy a stop or detent constructed substantially as follows: In the upper shoulder 47 of the trigger is formed a diagonally-extending bore 48, in which a coil-spring 49 is placed,the spring hav- .ing in ad vance of its frontenda movable pin 50,

provided with a rounded head adapted to enter either of the two indentations 51 52,formed in the plug on both sides of the stud 46 and adjacent the enlargements or heads of the plug, a screw 53 being secured in the head of the bore 48 to provide an abutment for said spring. The rounded surface of the pin and the indentations permit of the pin being forced out of the indentations as the plug is moved transversely and to enter the succeeding indentations to hold the plug against inadvertent transverse movement.

It is apparent that by shifting the tran slating device consecutive discharge from right to left can be had. Should it be desired to shift the discharge from left to right, it is only necessary to shift the translatingdevice and bring the stud under the left-hand sear, when the direction of discharge will be from left to right consecutively.

It is apparent that many modifications may be made in my invention without departing from the spirit of the same.

Having described my invention, I claim 1. In a gun, the combination with the sears and pivoted trigger; of a check comprising a weighted lever con nected with the trigger and fulcru med in the frame so that when the trigger is raised the weight will fall below its fulcrum-point; substantially as described.

2. The combination in a gun, of the sears, and apivoted trigger having a grooved extension at its free end, and a check consisting of a bar weighted at one end, a pivot for the bar adjacent the grooved end of the trigger, and

an extension from the bar engaging the groove 3. In agun, the combination with the sears, of a trigger pivoted at one end, and having the elevation 38 with a transverse groove 39 in the free. end, the bar 28 comprising the weighted portion 29, the extension 31, a pin 33 engaging the slot 39, and a pivot for the bar secured to the extension 31, substantially as described.

4. In a gun, the combination with the sear, the pivoted trigger, of a check comprising a lever of the first order, having a weighted extension, means for pivoting said lever, so that when the trigger is raised the weighted extension will fall below the pivotal point of said lever, and a movable connection between the free end of the trigger and said lever adjacent the latters fulcrum, substantially as described.

5. The combination with the sears and trigger, of the plug transversely movable in the trigger and a projection from the plug adapted to engage either sear, substantially as described.

6. The combination with the sears and trigger, of the translating-plug transversely movable in said trigger, a projection on said plug adapted to engage said scars, and a lock to secure said plug in position, substantially as described.

7. The combination with the sears and trigtrigger, a projection on said plug adapted to tent adapted to retain the plug when thrown on one or the other sides of the trigger, substantially as described.

8. The combination with the trigger, of the plug transversely movable in the trigger, a groove above said plug, a stud extending from the plug within the groove, and a plurality of sears adapted to be engaged by said stud, substantially as described.

9. The combination with the plurality of sears, the pivoted trigger, transversely-movable plug, means extending from the plug to engage said sears, and stops on the end of said plug, to limit its lateral movement, substantially as described.

10. The combination with the sears; of the trigger, having the transverse bore 44, and longitudinal bore 48, the plug 42 in the bore 44, said plug having indentations 51, 52, and

a projection 46 adapted to engage said sears,

the pin 50, a spring 49 in the bore 48, and the abutment-screw 53 in the bore 48 at the rear of said springs, substantially as described.

Signed in the city, county, and State of New York this 24th day of October, 1900.

FRANZ E. JAEGER. Witnesses:

OHAs. G. HENsLEY, SOPHIE SEKosKY. 

